Three Strikes You Re Dead

In this depression-era noir series debut, a politician's murder leads a Chicago crime reporter to a conspiracy involving the Cubs' race for the pennant. Chicago, 1938. A new mayoral candidate runs on a promise to stomp out organized crime. When he's gunned down, it seems clear that the mob cast their ballot with bullets. But Chicago Tribune reporter Steve "Snap" Malek senses more to the story. And his hunch is confirmed by none other than former syndicate kingpin Al Capone. Incurring his editors' anger, Malek ranges far beyond his beat, plunging headlong into a maverick investigation that soon spins beyond his control. In the process, he crosses paths with actress Helen Hayes, future Mayor Richard J. Daley, and pitching great Dizzy Dean, who was recently traded to the Cubs. And while Dizzy may be essential to a Cubs pennant win, he may also be the key to Malek's very survival.

Lenny Norbeck and his friends The Mikes set out to investigate the suspiciousdeath of a young pitcher at a Philadelphia Phillies game.

Three Strikes, You're Dead is a tale ripped from today's headlines. The novel reveals a world where baseball, a pillar of American culture, is threatened by sinister forces. As a plethora of fentanyl overdose sweeps the nation, cases involving high school and college baseball players arouse the attention of Richard Moreland, a seasoned DEA agent now stationed in Seattle. Unsanctioned by his higher-ups, Moreland masterminds an ad hoc mission to investigate one apparent fountainhead of the drugs--Colombia's Winter League. Vic Jennings, an amateur umpire; Whitney Westin, a DEA agent who's already demonstrated a flair for undercover assignments, and Diego Leon, a Colombian crew chief umpire, uncover an international scheme that leads back to minor leagues in the U.S. Its ultimate ambition may threaten all of America's pastime.

Jessica is visiting friends in Arizona when their foster son is accused of killing a sports rival.

When a mysterious young girl arrives in the small New England town of Edgeport, it's up to criminal psychologist Audrey Harte to figure out where exactly she came from . . . but sometimes the past should stay in the past. Thanksgiving is approaching, and Audrey Harte has a lot to be thankful for -- her mother has recovered from surgery, her relationship with Jake is solid, her father is relatively sober, and her career is evolving in an exciting direction. So when an 18-year-old girl turns up on her mother's doorstep, claiming to be the daughter Maggie Jones gave up for adoption, Audrey is amazed. As Audrey helps the girl discover where she came from, people in the little town of Edgeport think she should leave the past alone, and they let her know through threatening messages and phone calls. Soon, Audrey realizes that it doesn't matter how well you think you know someone -- you don't know what they're capable of until their secrets are threatened. . .

This cozy mystery about a mother-daughter duo whose holiday weekend turns to crime-solving offers an “appealing portrait of rural Washington” (Publishers Weekly). It was supposed to be a mother-daughter getaway but nothing is ever ordinary for private investigator Eddie Shoes and her unconventional mom, Chava. Especially when Eddie stumbles upon a stranger who is gravely wounded. As a wildfire sweeps through the forest, Eddie struggles to save the man, who begs her to help him find his missing daughter before succumbing to his injuries. Now on assignment for a dead man, Eddie is short on clues. Of course, that doesn’t stop her mom from wanting to help out. After all, Chava’s own illegal behavior makes her a criminal expert of sorts. And when Eddie’s mob-connected dad joins the search, Eddie starts to wonder if she and her family are the good guys or the bad guys. Either way, Eddie’s determined to get to the bottom of this mystery—even if it kills her. Praise for One Dead, Two to Go “Smart, page-turning fun, with the most feisty and likable P.I. since Kinsey Millhone.” —Deb Caletti, National Book Award finalist and author of He’s Gone “Plunge[s] the reader into a tale of fractured relationships, mayhem, and thrills.” —Deborah Turrell Atkinson, author of the Storm Kayama Mysteries “The writing is cinematic and vivid, the characters well-drawn. [For] fans of the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich.” —Max Everhart, author of the Eli Sharpe series “Memorable and entertaining.” —Scott Driscoll, author of Better You Go Home

"Dust Bowl refugee Gloria Mae Willard finds herself uprooted and working on a California peach orchard, where she tries to join the secret, all-boys baseball team that she's desperate to play on"--